历年考研英语真题集含答案版

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历年考研英语真题集含答案(word版)

历年考研英语真题集含答案(word版)

2013年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section I Use of EnglishDirections: Read the followi ng text. Choose the best word(s) for each nu mbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points) People are, on the whole, poor at con sideri ng backgro und in formatio n whe n maki ng in dividual decisi ons. At first gla nce this might seem like a stre ngth that 1 the ability to make judgme nts which are un biased by 2 factors. But Dr. Uri Sim on soh n speculated that an in ability to con sider the bg 3 was leadi ng decisio n-makers to be biased by the daily samples of information they were working with. 4 , he theorised that a judged of appeari ng too soft_6 crime might be more likely to send some one to pris on 7 he had already sentenced five or six other defendants only to probation on that day.To 8this idea, he tur ned to the uni versity-admissi ons process. In theory,_the 9 of an applica nt should not depe nd on the few others 10 ran domly for in terview duri ng the same day, but Dr Simon soh n suspected the truth was 11 .He studied the results of 9,323 MBA in terviews, 12 by 31 admissio ns officers. The in terviewers had 13 applica nts on a scale of one to five. This scale 14 nu merous factors in to con siderati on. The scores were 15 used in conj un cti on with an applica nt's score on the Graduate Man ageme nt Admissio n Test, or GMAT,a sta ndardised exam which is 16 out of 800 poin ts, to make a decisi on on whether to accept him or her.Dr Simon soh n found if the score of the previous can didate in a daily series of interviewees was 0.75 points or more higher than that of the one 17 that, then the score for the n ext applica nt would 18 by an average of 0.075 poin ts. This might sound small,but to 19 the effects of such a decrease a can didate would n eed 30 more GMAT points than would otherwise have been 20 .1. [A] grant [B] submits [C] transmits [D] delivers2. [A] minor [B]objective [C] crucial [D] external3. [A] issue [B] vision [C] picture [D] moment4. [A] For example [B] On average [C] In principle[D] Above all5. [A] fo nd [B]fearful [C] capable [D] thoughtless6. [A] in [B] on [C] to [D] for7. [A] if [B]until [C] though [D] unless8. [A] promote [B]emphasize [C] share [D] test9. [A] decisi on [B] quality [C] status [D] success10. [A] chosen [B]stupid [C]found [D] identified11. [A] exceptional [B] defensible [C] replaceable [D] otherwise12. [A] in spired [B]expressed [C] con ducted [D] secured13. [A] assig ned [B]rated [C] matched [D] arra nged14. [A] put [B]got [C]gave [D] took15. [A]instead [B]then [C] ever [D] rather16. [A]selected [B]passed [C] marked [D] in troduced17. [A]before [B] after [C] above [D] below18. [A] jump [B] float [C] drop [D] fluctuate19. [A]achieve [B]undo [C] maintain [D]disregard20. [A] promising [B] possible [C] necessary [D] helpfulSection n Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions after each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Part BDirections:In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of the numbered blank. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the gaps. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)The social sciences are flourishing.As of 2005,there were almost half a million professional social scientists from all fields in the world, working both inside and outside academia. According to the World Social Science Report 2010,the number of social-science students worldwide has swollen by about 11% every year since 2000.s globa Yet this enormous resource in not contributing enough to today challenges includingclimate change, security,sustainable development and health.(41) Humanity has the necessary agro-technological tools to eradicatehunger , from genetically engineered crops to arificial fertilizers . Here , too, the problems are social: the organization and distribution of food, wealth and prosperity.(42) ___ This is a sham—ethe community should be grasping the opportunity toraise its influence in the real world. To paraphrase the great social scientist Joseph Schumpeter:there is no radical innovation without creative destruction .Today ,the social sciences are largely focused on disciplinary problems and internal scholarly debates,rather than on topics with external impact.Analyses reveal that the number of papers including the keywords“ environmental changed ” or “ climate change ” have increased rapidly since 2004,(43) ___When social scientists do tackle practical issues ,their scope is often local:Belgium is interested mainly in the effects of poverty on Belgium for example .And whether the community ' s work contributes much to an overall accumulation of knowledge is doubtful.The problem is not necessarily the amount of available funding (44) this is an adequate amount so long as it is aimed in the right direction. Social scientists who complain about a lack of funding should not expect more in today ' s econom climate.The trick is to direct these funds better.The European Union Framework funding programs have long had a category specifically targeted at social scientists.This year,it was proposed that system be changed:Horizon 2020,a new program to be enacted in 2014,would not have such a category ,This has resulted in protests from social scientists.But the intention is not to neglect social science ; rather ,the complete opposite.(45) That should create morecollaborative endeavors and help to developprojects aimed directly at solving global problems.[A] It could be that we are evolving two communities of socialscientists:one that is discipline-oriented and publishing in highlyspecialized journals,and one that is problem-oriented and publishing elsewhere,such as policy briefs.[B] However,the numbers are still small:in 2010,about 1,600 of the100,000 social-sciences papers published globally included one of these Keywords.[C] the idea is to force social to integrate their work with other categories, including health and demographic change food security, marine research and the bio-economy, clear, efficient energy; and inclusive, innovative and secure societies.[D] the solution is to change the mindset of the academic community, and what it considers to be its main goal. Global challenges and social innovation ought to receive much more attention from scientists, especially the young ones.[E] These issues all have root causes in human behavior . all require behavioral change and social innovations , as well as technological development . Stemming climate change , for example , is as much about changing consumption patterns and promoting tax acceptance as it is about developing clean energy.[F] Despite these factors , many social scientists seem reluctant to tackle such problems . And in Europe , some are up in arms over a proposal to drop a specific funding category forsocial-science research and to integrate it within cross-cutting topics of sustainable development .[G] During the late 1990s , national spending on social sciences and the humanities as a percentage of all research and development funds-including government, higher education, non-profit and corporate -varied from around 4% to 25%; in most European nations , it is about 15%.Part B: (10 points)Section III Translation46. Directions: Translate the following text from English to Chinese. Write your translation on ANSWER SHEET2. (10 points)Directions:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2. (10 points) It is speculated that gardens arise from a basic need in the individuals who made them: the need for creative expression. There is no doubt that gardens evidence an impossible urge to create, express, fashion, and beautify and that self-expression is a basic human urge; (46) Yet when one looks at the photographs of the garden created by the homeless, it strikes one that , for all their diversity of styles, these gardens speak os various other fundamental urges, beyond that of decoration and creative expression.One of these urges had to do with creating a state of peace in the midst of turbulence,a “ still point of the turning world, ” to borrow a phrase from T. S.(47)A sacred place of peace, however crude it may be, is a distinctly human need, as opposed to shelter, which is a distinctly animal need. This distinction is so much so that where the latter is lacking, as it is for these unlikely gardens, the foemer becomes all the more urgent. Composure is a state of mind made possible by the structuring of one relation to one ' s environment. (48) The gardens of the homeless which are in effect homeless gardens introduce from into an urban environment where it either didn exist or was not discernible as such. In so doing they give composure to a segment of the inarticulate environment in which they take their stand.Another urge or need that these gardens appear to respond to, or to arise from is so intrinsic that we are barely ever conscious of its abiding claims on us. When we are deprived of green, of plants, of trees, (49)most of us give into a demoralization of spirit which we usually blame on some psychological conditions, until one day we find ourselves in garden and feel the expression vanish as if by magic. In most of the homeless gardens of New York City the actual cultivation of plants is unfeasible, yet even so the compositions often seem to represent attempts to call arrangement of materials, an institution of colors, small pool of water, and a frequent presence of petals or leaves as well as of stuffed animals. On display here are various fantasy elements whose reference, at some basic level, seems to be the natural world. (50)It is this implicit or explicit reference to nature that fully justifies the use of word garden though in a “ liberated ” sense, to describe these synthetic constructions. In them we cansee biophilia- a yearning for contact with nonhuman life-assuming uncanny representational forms.Section III WritingParty A51 Directions:Write an e-mail of about 100 words to a foreign teacher in your college inviting him/her to be a judge for the upcoming English speech contest.You should in elude the details you think n ecessary.You should write n eatly on the ANSWER SHEET.Do not sig n your own n ame at the end of the e-ail. Use “ Li Ming ” in stead.Do not write the address. (10 poin ts)Part B: (20 poi nts)Part B52 Directi ons:Write an essay of about 16- 200 words based on the following drawing. In your essay, you should(1) describe the draw ing briefly,(2) in terpret its inten ded meaning, and(3) give your comme nts.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET. (20 points)2013年考研英语真题答案Secti on I: Use of Engl ish (10 points)Part C (10 points)46巧"个人看到由无家可归之人所建的花园的胆片时*他会突然馆到、尽管这樂花园飙恪零样,它们仍反映「人们除r装怖以及创适杵表达之外的ftwx- 他基本需求Q47 ■方神荃的净上.不管它冇多么简陋•它都展人类必不可少的*它跟她穴截然不同*巣穴只是满足了动物的需求&48无家可归者的花园的确是无边町匚扎它是寄形于城吊中的一片即小存在也无从寻觅的花园.49. 人一H.失去了花园’没有f花草树木、大多会陷入補神萎靡的狀态’还常常以为是内心在作臬。

历年考研英语真题集含答案版

历年考研英语真题集含答案版

2013年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section ⅠUse of EnglishDirections: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)People are, on the whole, poor at considering background information when making individual decisions. At first glance this might seem like a strength that 1 the ability to make judgments which are unbiased by 2 factors. But Dr. Uri Simonsohn speculated that an inability to consider the big 3 was leading decision-makers to be biased by the daily samples of information they were working with. 4 , he theorised that a judge 5 of appearing too soft 6 crime might be more likely to send someone to prison 7 he had already sentenced five or six other defendants only to probation on that day.To 8 this idea, he turned to the university-admissions process. In theory, the 9 of an applicant should not depend on the few others 10 randomly for interview duringthe same day, but Dr Simonsohn suspected the truth was 11 .He studied the results of 9,323 MBA interviews, 12 by 31 admissions officers. The interviewers had 13 applicants on a scale of one to five. This scale 14 numerous factors into consideration. The scores were 15 used in conjunction with anapplicant's score on the Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, a standardised exam which is 16 out of 800 points, to make a decision on whether to accept him or her.Dr Simonsohn found if the score of the previous candidate in a daily series of interviewees was 0.75 points or more higher than that of the one 17 that, then the score for the next applicant would 18 by an average of 0.075 points. This might sound small, but to 19 the effects of such a decrease a candidate would need 30 more GMAT points than would otherwise have been 20 .1.[A] grant [B] submits [C] transmits [D] delivers2.[A] minor [B]objective [C] crucial [D] external3.[A] issue [B] vision [C] picture [D] moment4.[A] For example [B] On average [C] In principle[D] Above all5.[A] fond [B]fearful [C] capable [D] thoughtless6.[A] in [B] on [C] to [D] for7.[A] if [B]until [C] though [D] unless8.[A] promote [B]emphasize [C] share [D] test9.[A] decision [B] quality [C] status [D] success10.[A] chosen [B]stupid [C]found [D] identified11.[A] exceptional [B] defensible [C] replaceable [D] otherwise12.[A] inspired [B]expressed [C] conducted [D] secured13.[A] assigned [B]rated [C] matched [D] arranged14.[A] put [B]got [C]gave [D] took15.[A]instead [B]then [C] ever [D] rather16.[A]selected [B]passed [C] marked [D] introduced17.[A]before [B] after [C] above [D] below18.[A] jump [B] float [C] drop [D] fluctuate19.[A]achieve [B]undo [C] maintain [D]disregard20. [A] promising [B] possible [C] necessary [D] helpfulSection ⅡReading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions after each textby choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points) Part BDirections:In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of thenumbered blank. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the gaps.Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)The social sciences are flourishing.As of 2005,there were almost half a million professional social scientists from all fields in the world, working both inside andoutside academia. According to the World Social Science Report 2010,the number of social-science students worldwide has swollen by about 11% every year since 2000.Yet this enormous resource in not contributing enough to today’s global challenges including climate change, security,sustainable development andhealth.(41)______Humanity has the necessary agro-technological tools to eradicate hunger , from genetically engineered crops to arificial fertilizers . Here , too, theproblems are social: the organization and distribution of food, wealth and prosperity.(42)____This is a shame—the community should be grasping the opportunity toraise its influence in the real world. To paraphrase the great social scientist Joseph Schumpeter:there is no radical innovation without creative destruction .Today ,the social sciences are largely focused on disciplinary problems and internalscholarly debates,rather than on topics with external impact.Analyses reveal that the number of papers including the keywords“environmental changed” or “climate change” have increased rapidly since 2004,(43)____When social scientists do tackle practical issues ,their scope is oftenlocal:Belgium is interested mainly in the effects of poverty on Belgium forexample .And whether the community’s work contributes much to an overall accumulation of knowledge is doubtful.The problem is not necessarily the amount of available funding (44)____this isan adequate amount so long as it is aimed in the right direction. Social scientists who complain about a lack of funding should not expect more in today’s economic climate.The trick is to direct these funds better.The European Union Frameworkfunding programs have long had a category specifically targeted at socialscientists.This year,it was proposed that system be changed:Horizon 2020,a newprogram to be enacted in 2014,would not have such a category ,This has resulted inprotests from social scientists.But the intention is not to neglect social science ;rather ,the complete opposite.(45)____That should create more collaborativeendeavors and help to develop projects aimed directly at solving global problems.[A] It could be that we are evolving two communities of socialscientists:one that is discipline-oriented and publishing in highlyspecialized journals,and one that is problem-oriented and publishingelsewhere,such as policy briefs.[B] However,the numbers are still small:in 2010,about 1,600 of the100,000 social-sciences papers published globally included one of theseKeywords.[C] the idea is to force social to integrate their work with other categories,including health and demographic change food security, marine research and thebio-economy, clear, efficient energy; and inclusive, innovative and secure societies.[D] the solution is to change the mindset of the academic community, and whatit considers to be its main goal. Global challenges and social innovation ought toreceive much more attention from scientists, especially the young ones.[E] These issues all have root causes in human behavior . all require behavioralchange and social innovations , as well as technological development . Stemmingclimate change , for example , is as much about changing consumption patterns andpromoting tax acceptance as it is about developing clean energy.[F] Despite these factors , many social scientists seem reluctant to tackle suchproblems . And in Europe , some are up in arms over a proposal to drop a specificfunding category for social-science research and to integrate it within cross-cuttingtopics of sustainable development .[G] During the late 1990s , national spending on social sciences and thehumanities as a percentage of all research and development funds-includinggovernment, higher education, non-profit and corporate -varied from around 4% to25%; in most European nations , it is about 15%.Part B: (10 points)Section III Translation46. Directions: Translate the following text from English to Chinese. Write yourtranslation on ANSWER SHEET2. (10 points)Directions:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segmentsinto Chinese. Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2. (10points)It is speculated that gardens arise from a basic need in the individuals whomade them: the need for creative expression. There is no doubt that gardens evidencean impossible urge to create, express, fashion, and beautify and that self-expressionis a basic human urge; (46) Yet when one looks at the photographs of the gardencreated by the homeless, it strikes one that , for all their diversity of styles, thesegardens speak os various other fundamental urges, beyond that of decoration andcreative expression.One of these urges had to do with creating a state of peace in the midst ofturbulence, a “still point of the turning world,” to borrow a phrase from T. S. Eliot.(47)A sacred place of peace, however crude it may be, is a distinctly human need, asopposed to shelter, which is a distinctly animal need. This distinction is so much sothat where the latter is lacking, as it is for these unlikely gardens, the foemerbecomes all the more urgent. Composure is a state of mind made possible by thestructuring of one’s relation to one’s environment. (48) The gardens of the homeless which are in effect homeless gardens introduce from into an urban environmentexist or was not discernible as such. In so doing they givewhere it either didn’tcomposure to a segment of the inarticulate environment in which they take theirstand.Another urge or need that these gardens appear to respond to, or to arise from isso intrinsic that we are barely ever conscious of its abiding claims on us. When weare deprived of green, of plants, of trees, (49)most of us give into a demoralization ofspirit which we usually blame on some psychological conditions, until one day wefind ourselves in garden and feel the expression vanish as if by magic. In most of the homeless gardens of New York City the actual cultivation of plants is unfeasible, yeteven so the compositions often seem to represent attempts to call arrangement of materials, an institution of colors, small pool of water, and a frequent presence ofpetals or leaves as well as of stuffed animals. On display here are various fantasy elements whose reference, at some basic level, seems to be the natural world. (50)Itis this implicit or explicit reference to nature that fully justifies the use of wordgarden though in a “liberated” sense, to describe these synthetic constructions. In them we can see biophilia- a yearning for contact with nonhuman life-assuminguncanny representational forms.Section III WritingParty A51 Directions:Write an e-mail of about 100 words to a foreign teacher in your college invitinghim/her to be a judge for the upcoming English speech contest.You should include the details you think necessary.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET.Do not sign your own name at the end of the e-mail. Use “Li Ming” instead.Do not write the address. (10 points)Part B: (20 points)Part B52 Directions:Write an essay of about 160 – 200 words based on the following drawing. Inyour essay, you should(1) describe the drawing briefly,(2) interpret its intended meaning, and(3) give your comments.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET. (20 points)2013年考研英语真题答案2012年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank andmark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)The ethical judgments of the Supreme Court justices have become an importantissue recently. The court cannot _1_ its legitimacy as guardian of the rule of law _2_justices behave like politicians. Yet, in several instances, justices acted in ways that_3_ the court’s reputation for being independent and impartial.Justice Antonin Scalia, for example, appeared at political events. That kind ofdecisions will be _4_ as impartialactivity makes it less likely that the court’sjudgments. Part of the problem is that the justices are not _5_by an ethics code. Atthe very least, the court should make itself _6_to the code of conduct that _7_to therest of the federal judiciary.This and other similar cases _8_the question of whether there is still a _9_betweenthe court and politics.The framers of the Constitution envisioned law _10_having authority apart frompolitics. They gave justices permanent positions _11_they would be free to _12_those in power and have no need to _13_ political support. Our legal system wasdesigned to set law apart from politics precisely because they are so closely _14_.Constitutional law is political because it results from choices rooted in fundamental social _15_ like liberty and property. When the court deals with socialpolicy decisions, the law it _16_ is inescapably political-which is why decisions splitalong ideological lines are so easily _17_ as unjust.The justices must _18_ doubts about the court’s legitimacy by making themselves _19_ to the code of conduct. That would make rulings more likely to be seen asseparate from politics and, _20_, convincing as law.1. [A]emphasize [B]maintain [C]modify [D] recognize2. [A]when [B]lest [C]before [D] unless3. [A]restored [B]weakened [C]established [D] eliminated4. [A]challenged [B]compromised [C]suspected [D] accepted5. [A]advanced [B]caught [C]bound [D]founded6. [A]resistant [B]subject [C]immune [D]prone7. [A]resorts [B]sticks [C]loads [D]applies8. [A]evade [B]raise [C]deny [D]settle9. [A]line [B]barrier [C]similarity [D]conflict10. [A]by [B]as [C]though [D]towards11. [A]so [B]since [C]provided [D]though12. [A]serve [B]satisfy [C]upset [D]replace13. [A]confirm [B]express [C]cultivate [D]offer14. [A]guarded [B]followed [C]studied [D]tied15. [A]concepts [B]theories [C]divisions [D]conceptions16. [A]excludes [B]questions [C]shapes [D]controls17. [A]dismissed [B]released [C]ranked [D]distorted18. [A]suppress [B]exploit [C]address [D]ignore19. [A]accessible [B]amiable [C]agreeable [D]accountable[B]atall costs [C]in a word [D]as a result20.[A]by allmesnsSection II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Part BDirections:In the following text, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of the numbered blanks. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the blanks. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET1.(10 points)Think of those fleeting moments when you look out of an aeroplane window and realise that you are flying, higher than a bird. Now think of your laptop, thinner thana brown-paper envelope, or your cellphone in the palm of your hand. Take a moment or two to wonder at those marvels. You are the lucky inheritor of a dream come true.The second half of the 20th century saw a collection of geniuses, warriors, entrepreneurs and visionaries labour to create a fabulous machine that could function as a typewriter and printing press, studio and theatre, paintbrush and gallery, piano and radio, the mail as well as the mail carrier. (41)The networked computer is an amazing device, the first media machine that serves as the mode of production, means of distribution, site of reception, and place ofpraise and critique. The computer is the 21st century's culture machine.But for all the reasons there are to celebrate the computer, we must also tread with caution. (42)I call it a secret war for two reasons. First, most people do not realise that there are strong commercial agendas at work to keep them in passive consumption mode. Second, the majority of people who use networked computers to upload are not even aware of the significance of what they are doing.All animals download, but only a few upload. Beavers build dams and birds make nests. Yet for the most part, the animal kingdom moves through the world downloading. Humans are unique in their capacity to not only make tools but then turn around and use them to create superfluous material goods - paintings, sculpture and architecture - and superfluous experiences - music, literature, religion and philosophy. (43)For all the possibilities of our new culture machines, most people are still stuck in download mode. Even after the advent of widespread social media, a pyramid of production remains, with a small number of people uploading material, a slightly larger group commenting on or modifying that content, and a huge percentage remaining content to just consume. (44)Television is a one-way tap flowing into our homes. The hardest task that television asks of anyone is to turn the power off after he has turned it on.(45)What counts as meaningful uploading? My definition revolves around the concept of "stickiness" - creations and experiences to which others adhere.[A] Of course, it is precisely these superfluous things that define human culture and ultimately what it is to be human. Downloading and consuming culture requires great skills, but failing to move beyond downloading is to strip oneself of a defining constituent of humanity.[B] Applications like , which allow users to combine pictures, wordsand other media in creative ways and then share them, have the potential to add stickiness by amusing, entertaining and enlightening others.[C] Not only did they develop such a device but by the turn of the millennium they had also managed to embed it in a worldwide system accessed by billions of people every day.[D] This is because t he networked computer has sparked a secret war between downloading and uploading - between passive consumption and active creation - whose outcome will shape our collective future in ways we can only begin to imagine.[E] The challenge the computer mounts to television thus bears little similarity toone format being replaced by another in the manner of record players being replacedby CD players.[F] One reason for the persistence of this pyramid of production is that for the past half-century, much of the world's media culture has been defined by a single medium- television - and television is defined by downloading.[G]The networked computer offers the first chance in 50 years to reverse the flow,to encourage thoughtful downloading and, even more importantly, meaningful uploading.Part CDirections:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments i nto Chinese. Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2. (10 points)Since the days of Aristotle, a search for universal principles has characterized the scientific enterprise. In some ways, this quest for commonalities defines science. Newton’s laws of motion and Darwinian evolution each bind a host of different phenomena into a single explicatory frame work.(46)In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme, and seeks a theory of everything—a single generative equation for all we see.It is becoming less clear, however, that such a theory would be a simplification, given the dimensions and universes that it might entail, nonetheless, unification of sorts remainsa major goal.This tendency in the natural sciences has long been evident in the social sciences too.(47)Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification for it all humans share common origins it seems reasonable to suppose that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings. Just as the bewildering variety of human courtship rituals might all be considered forms of sexual selection, perhaps the world’s languages, music, social and religious customs and even history are governed by universal features. (48)To filter out what is unique from what is shared might enable usto understand how complex cultural behavior arose and what guides it in evolutionaryor cognitive terms.That, at least, is the hope. But a comparative study of linguistic traits published online today supplies a reality check. Russell Gray at the University of Auckland andhis colleagues consider the evolution of grammars in the light of two previous attemptsto find universality in language.The most famous of these efforts was initiated by Noam Chomsky, who suggested that humans are born with an innate language—acquisition capacity that dictates a universal grammar. A few generative rules are then sufficient to unfold the entire fundamental structure of a language, which is why children can learn it so quickly.(49)The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many languagewhich are considered to represent biases that result from cognitive constraints Gray and his colleagues have put them to the test by examining four family treesthat between them represent more than 2,000 languages.(50)Chomsky’s grammarshould show patterns of language change that are independent of the family tree or thepathway tracked through it. Whereas Greenbergian universality predicts strongco-dependencies between particular types of word-order relations. Neither of thesepatterns is borne out by the analysis, suggesting that the structures of the languages arelire age-specific and not governed by universals[NxtPage]2011年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle viewed laughter as “a bodily exercise precious But ---_1____some claims to the contrary, laughing probably has littleto health.” influence on physical filness Laughter does _2____short-term changes in thefunction of the heart and its blood vessels, _3___ heart rate and oxygen consumptionBut because h ard laughter is difficult to _4___, a good laugh is unlikely to have__5___ benefits the way, say, walking or jogging does.__6__, instead of straining muscles to build them, as exercise does, laughterapparently accomplishes the __7__, studies dating back to the 1930’s indicate that laughter. muscles,Such bodily reaction might conceivably help__8__the effects of psychologicalstress.Anyway,the act of laughing probably does produce other types ofemotional state. __10____one____9__feedback,that improve an individual’sclassical theory of emotion,our feelings are partially rooted _____11__ physicalreactions. It was argued at the end of the 19th century that humans do not cry___12___they are sad but they become sad when te tears begin to flow.Although sadness a lso __13_____ tears,evidence s uggests t hat emotions can flow__14___ muscular responses.In an experiment published in 1988,social psychologistFritz.1.[A]among [B]except [C]despite [D]like2.[A]reflect [B]demand [C]indicate [D]produce3.[A]stabilizing [B]boosting [C]impairing [D]determining4.[A]transmit [B]sustain [C]evaluate [D]observe5.[A]measurable [B]manageable [C]affordable [D]renewable6.[A]In turn [B]In fact [C]In addition [D]In brief7.[A]opposite [B]impossible [C]average [D]expected8.[A]hardens [B]weakens [C]tightens [D]relaxes9.[A]aggravate [B]generate [C]moderate [D]enhance10.[A]physical [B]mentl [C]subconscious [D]internal11.[A]Except for [B]According to [C]Due to [D]As for12.[A]with [B]on [C]in [D]at13.[A]unless [B]until C]if [D]because14.[A]exhausts [B]follows [C]precedes [D]suppresses15.[A]into [B]from [C]towards [D]beyond16.[A]fetch [B]bite [C]pick [D]hold17.[A]disappointed [B]excited [C]joyful [D]indifferent18.[A]adapted [B]catered [C]turned [D]reacted19.[A]suggesting [B]requiring [C]mentioning [D]supposing20.[A]Eventually [B]Consequently [C]Similarly [D]ConverselySection II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text bychoosing [A], [B], [C] or [D]. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40points)Part BDirections:The following paragraph are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45, youare required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent text by choosing from thelist A-G to filling them into the numbered boxes. Paragraphs E and G have beencorrectly placed. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)[A] No disciplines have seized on professionalism with as much enthusiasm asthe humanities. You can, Mr Menand points out, became a lawyer in three years anda medical doctor in four. But the regular time it takes to get a doctoral degree in thehumanities is nine years. Not surprisingly, up to half of all doctoral students inEnglish drop out before getting their degrees.[B] His concern is mainly with the humanities: Literature, languages,philosophy and so on. These are disciplines that are going out of style: 22% ofAmerican college graduates now major in business compared with only 2% inhistory and 4% in English. However, many leading American universities want theirundergraduates to have a grounding in the basic canon of ideas that every educatedperson should posses. But most find it difficult to agree on what a “generaleducation” should look like. At Harvard, Mr Menand notes, “the great books are read because they have been read”-they form a sort of social glue.[C] Equally unsurprisingly, only about half end up with professorships forwhich they entered graduate school. There are simply too few posts. This is partlybecause universities continue to produce ever more PhDs. But fewer students wantto study humanities subjects: English departments aw arded more bachelor’s degreesin 1970-71 than they did 20 years later. Fewer students requires fewer teachers. So,at the end of a decade of theses-writing, many humanities students leave theprofession to do something for which they have not been trained.[D] One reason why it is hard to design and teach such courses is that they cancut across the insistence by top American universities that liberal-arts educations and professional education should be kept separate, t aught in different schools. Manystudents experience both varieties. Although more than half of Harvard undergraduates end up in law, medicine or business, future doctors and lawyers muststudy a non-specialist liberal-arts degree before embarking on a professional qualification.[E] Besides professionalizing the professions by this separation, top Americanuniversities have professionalised the professor. The growth in public money foracademic research has speeded the process: federal research grants rose fourfoldbetween 1960and 1990, but faculty teaching hours fell by half as research took itstoll. Professionalism has turned the acquisition of a doctoral degree into aprerequisite for a successful academic career: as late as 1969a third of Americanprofessors did not possess one. But the key idea behind professionalisation, arguesMr Menand, is that “the knowledge and skills needed for a particular specializationdisciplines acquire a monopoly not justare transmissible but not transferable.”Soover the production of knowledge, but also over the production of the producers ofknowledge.[F] The key to reforming higher education, concludes Mr Menand, is to alter theway in which “the producers of knowledge are produced.”Otherwise, academics will continue to think dangerously alike, increasingly detached from the societies whichthey study, investigate and criticize.”Academic inquiry, at least in some fields, may need to become less exclusionary and more holistic.”Yet quite how that happens, Mr Menand dose not say.[G] The subtle and intelligent little book The Marketplace of Ideas: Reform andResistance in the American University should be read by every student thinking ofapplying to take a doctoral degree. They may then decide to go elsewhere. Forsomething curious has been happening in American Universities, and Louis Menand,a professor of English at Harvard University, captured it skillfully.G → 41. → 42. →E → 43. → 44. →45.Part CDirections:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segmentsinto Chinese. Your translation should be written carefully on ANSWER SHEET 2.(10 points)With its theme that “Mind is the master weaver,” creating our inner character and outer circumstances, the book As a Man Thinking by James Allen is an in-depthexploration of the central idea of self-help writing.-that because(46) Allen’s contribution was to take an assumption we all sharewe are not robots we therefore control our thoughts-and reveal its erroneous nature.Because most of us believe that mind is separate from matter, we think that thoughtscan be hidden and made powerless; this allows us to think one way and act another.However, Allen believed that the unconscious mind generates as much action as theconscious mind, and (47) while we may be able to sustain the illusion of control。

考研英语真题试卷(题后含答案及解析)

考研英语真题试卷(题后含答案及解析)

考研英语真题试卷(题后含答案及解析)考研英语真题试卷(题后含答案及解析)第一部分:阅读理解(共两节,满分40分)第一节 (共15小题; 每小题2分,满分30分)阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。

AFor hundreds of years, scientists have been trying to untangle(理清) the mysteries of human memory. 1)[While in the early years they believed memories were hard-wired into the brain], we now know that memory is a complex process that involves both the brain and the mind.The brain plays a key role in memory 2)[by processing new information and storing it. However, it cannot act alone. Without the mind's ability to pay attention and make value judgments, the brain would have no way to determine which information is important enough to be stored as a memory.] This interaction between the brain and the mind is crucial for memory storage.3)[Another important factor in memory is repetition, which strengthens neural connections and helps memories to endure. Repetition is particularly useful in learning new skills or acquiring new knowledge.] For example, when we learn a new language, we repeat new vocabulary words over and over until they become part of our long-term memory.Emotion is also closely related to memory. 4)[Emotional experiences tend to be more memorable than neutral ones.] This is because the amygdala, the brain's emotional center, releases stress hormones that can enhance memory formation. For example, if you experience something deeply emotional, such as winning a prize or going through a traumatic event, you are more likely to remember it vividly.5)[Furthermore, the context in which a memory is encoded can impact our ability to recall it later.] Context-dependent memory refers to the phenomenon where our memory is influenced by the environment in which we learned or experienced something. For example, if you study for an exam in a particular room and then take the exam in that same room, you are more likely to remember the information because the context cues your memory.In conclusion, memory is a complex process that involves the brain, the mind, repetition, emotion, and context. 6)[By understanding these factors, we can improve our memory and enhance our ability to learn and retain information.]1. According to the passage, what was the early belief about memory?A. It is a simple process controlled by the brain.B. It is a complex process involving both the brain and the mind.C. It is a natural ability of human beings.D. It is a hard-wired function of the mind.2. What is the role of the mind in memory storage?A. It determines which information is important.B. It processes new information and stores it.C. It helps repeat words and phrases.D. It releases stress hormones for memory formation.3. What does the passage say about repetition?A. It helps acquire new skills.B. It strengthens neural connections.C. It enhances emotional experiences.D. It cues memory in a particular context.4. Why are emotional experiences more memorable?A. They involve repetitive learning.B. They trigger the brain's emotional center.C. They release stress hormones for memory formation.D. They are associated with context-dependent memory.5. How does context impact memory recall?A. It determines the importance of information.B. It influences emotional experiences.C. It strengthens neural connections.D. It cues memory in a particular environment.6. What is the main purpose of the passage?A. To describe the complexities of human memory.B. To discuss the role of the brain in memory storage.C. To explain the connection between emotion and memory.D. To offer strategies for improving memory.解析:1. D。

历年考研英语真题集含答案(word版)

历年考研英语真题集含答案(word版)

2013年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section ⅠUse of EnglishDirections: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)People are, on the whole, poor at considering background information when making individual decisions. At first glance this might seem like a strength that 1 the ability to make judgments which are unbiased by 2 factors. But Dr. Uri Simonsohn speculated that an inability to consider the big 3 was leading decision-makers to be biased by the daily samples of information they were working with. 4 , he theorised thata judge 5 of appearing too soft 6 crime might be more likely to send someone to prison7 he had already sentenced five or six other defendants only to probation on that day.To 8 this idea, he turned to the university-admissions process. In theory, the 9 of an applicant should not depend on the few others 10 randomly for interview during the same day, but Dr Simonsohn suspected the truth was 11 .He studied the results of 9,323 MBA interviews, 12 by 31 admissions officers. The interviewers had 13 applicants on a scale of one to five. This scale 14 numerous factors into consideration. The scores were 15 used in conjunction with an applicant's score on the Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, a standardised exam which is 16 out of 800 points, to make a decision on whether to accept him or her.Dr Simonsohn found if the score of the previous candidate in a daily series of interviewees was 0.75 points or more higher than that of the one 17 that, then the score for the next applicant would 18 by an average of 0.075 points. This might sound small,but to 19 the effects of such a decrease a candidate would need 30 more GMAT points than would otherwise have been 20 .1.[A] grant [B] submits [C] transmits [D] delivers2.[A] minor [B]objective [C] crucial [D] external3.[A] issue [B] vision [C] picture [D] moment4.[A] For example [B] On average [C] In principle[D] Above all5.[A] fond [B]fearful [C] capable [D] thoughtless6.[A] in [B] on [C] to [D] for7.[A] if [B]until [C] though [D] unless8.[A] promote [B]emphasize [C] share [D] test9.[A] decision [B] quality [C] status [D] success10.[A] chosen [B]stupid [C]found [D] identified11.[A] exceptional [B] defensible [C] replaceable [D] otherwise12.[A] inspired [B]expressed [C] conducted [D] secured13.[A] assigned [B]rated [C] matched [D] arranged14.[A] put [B]got [C]gave [D] took15.[A]instead [B]then [C] ever [D] rather16.[A]selected [B]passed [C] marked [D] introduced17.[A]before [B] after [C] above [D] below18.[A] jump [B] float [C] drop [D] fluctuate19.[A]achieve [B]undo [C] maintain [D]disregard20. [A] promising [B] possible [C] necessary [D] helpfulSection ⅡReading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions after each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points) Part BDirections:In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of the numbered blank. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the gaps. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)The social sciences are flourishing.As of 2005,there were almost half a million professional social scientists from all fields in the world, working both inside and outside academia. According to the World Social Science Report 2010,the number of social-science students worldwide has swollen by about 11% every year since 2000.Yet this enormous resource in not contributing enough to today’s global challenges including climate change, security,sustainable development andhealth.(41)______Humanity has the necessary agro-technological tools to eradicate hunger , from genetically engineered crops to arificial fertilizers . Here , too, the problems are social: the organization and distribution of food, wealth and prosperity.(42)____This is a shame—the community should be grasping the opportunity to raise its influence in the real world. To paraphrase the great social scientist Joseph Schumpeter:there is no radical innovation without creative destruction .Today ,the social sciences are largely focused on disciplinary problems and internal scholarly debates,rather than on topics with external impact.Analyses reveal that the number of papers including the keywords “environmental changed” or “climate change” have increased rapidly since 2004,(43)____When social scientists do tackle practical issues ,their scope is often local:Belgium is interested mainly in the effects of poverty on Belgium for example .And whether the community’s work contributes much to an overall accumulation of knowledge is doubtful.The problem is not necessarily the amount of available funding (44)____this is an adequate amount so long as it is aimed in the right direction. Social scientists who complain about a lack of funding should not expect more in today’s economic climate.The trick is to direct these funds better.The European Union Framework funding programs have long had a category specifically targeted at social scientists.This year,it was proposed that system be changed:Horizon 2020,a new program to be enacted in 2014,would not have such a category ,This has resulted in protests from social scientists.But the intention is not to neglect social science ; rather ,the complete opposite.(45)____That should create more collaborative endeavors and help to develop projects aimed directly at solving global problems.[A] It could be that we are evolving two communities of socialscientists:one that is discipline-oriented and publishing in highlyspecialized journals,and one that is problem-oriented and publishingelsewhere,such as policy briefs.[B] However,the numbers are still small:in 2010,about 1,600 of the100,000 social-sciences papers published globally included one of theseKeywords.[C] the idea is to force social to integrate their work with other categories, including health and demographic change food security, marine research and thebio-economy, clear, efficient energy; and inclusive, innovative and secure societies.[D] the solution is to change the mindset of the academic community, and what it considers to be its main goal. Global challenges and social innovation ought to receive much more attention from scientists, especially the young ones.[E] These issues all have root causes in human behavior . all require behavioral change and social innovations , as well as technological development . Stemming climate change , for example , is as much about changing consumption patterns and promoting tax acceptance as it is about developing clean energy.[F] Despite these factors , many social scientists seem reluctant to tackle such problems . And in Europe , some are up in arms over a proposal to drop a specific funding category for social-science research and to integrate it within cross-cutting topics of sustainable development .[G] During the late 1990s , national spending on social sciences and the humanities as a percentage of all research and development funds-including government, highereducation, non-profit and corporate -varied from around 4% to 25%; in most European nations , it is about 15%.Part B: (10 points)Section III Translation46. Directions: Translate the following text from English to Chinese. Write your translation on ANSWER SHEET2. (10 points)Directions:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2. (10 points) It is speculated that gardens arise from a basic need in the individuals who made them: the need for creative expression. There is no doubt that gardens evidence an impossible urge to create, express, fashion, and beautify and that self-expression is a basic human urge; (46) Yet when one looks at the photographs of the garden created by the homeless, it strikes one that , for all their diversity of styles, these gardens speak os various other fundamental urges, beyond that of decoration and creative expression.One of these urges had to do with creating a state of peace in the midst of turbulence, a “still point of the turning world,” to borrow a phrase from T. S. Eliot.(47)A sacred place of peace, however crude it may be, is a distinctly human need, as opposed to shelter, which is a distinctly animal need. This distinction is so much so that where the latter is lacking, as it is for these unlikely gardens, the foemer becomes all the more urgent. Composure is a state of mind made possible by the structuring of one’s relation to one’s environment. (48) The gardens of the homeless which are in effecthomeless gardens introduce from into an urban environment where it either didn’t exist or was not discernible as such. In so doing they give composure to a segment of the inarticulate environment in which they take their stand.Another urge or need that these gardens appear to respond to, or to arise from is so intrinsic that we are barely ever conscious of its abiding claims on us. When we are deprived of green, of plants, of trees, (49)most of us give into a demoralization of spirit which we usually blame on some psychological conditions, until one day we find ourselves in garden and feel the expression vanish as if by magic. In most of the homeless gardens of New York City the actual cultivation of plants is unfeasible, yet even so the compositions often seem to represent attempts to call arrangement of materials, an institution of colors, small pool of water, and a frequent presence of petals or leaves as well as of stuffed animals. On display here are various fantasy elements whose reference, at some basic level, seems to be the natural world. (50)It is this implicit or explicit reference to nature that fully justifies the use of word garden though in a “liberated” sense, to describe these synthetic constructions. In them we can see biophilia- a yearning for contact with nonhuman life-assuming uncanny representational forms.Section III WritingParty A51 Directions:Write an e-mail of about 100 words to a foreign teacher in your college inviting him/her to be a judge for the upcoming English speech contest.You should include the details you think necessary.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET.Do not sign your own name at the end of the e-mail. Use “Li Ming” instead.Do not write the address. (10 points)Part B: (20 points)Part B52 Directions:Write an essay of about 160 – 200 words based on the following drawing. In your essay, you should(1) describe the drawing briefly,(2) interpret its intended meaning, and(3) give your comments.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET. (20 points)2013年考研英语真题答案2012年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)The ethical judgments of the Supreme Court justices have become an important issue recently. The court cannot _1_ its legitimacy as guardian of the rule of law _2_ justices behave like politicians. Yet, in several instances, justices acted in ways that _3_ the court’s reputation for being independent and impartial.Justice Antonin Scalia, for example, appeared at political events. That kind of activity makes it less likely that the court’s decisions will be _4_ as impartial judgments. Part of the problem is that the justices are not _5_by an ethics code. At the very least, the court should make itself _6_to the code of conduct that _7_to the rest of the federal judiciary.This and other similar cases _8_the question of whether there is still a _9_between the court and politics.The framers of the Constitution envisioned law _10_having authority apart from politics. They gave justices permanent positions _11_they would be free to _12_ those in power and have no need to _13_ political support. Our legal system was designed to set law apart from politics precisely because they are so closely _14_.Constitutional law is political because it results from choices rooted in fundamental social _15_ like liberty and property. When the court deals with social policy decisions, the law it _16_ is inescapably political-which is why decisions split along ideological lines are so easily _17_ as unjust.The justices must _18_ doubts about the court’s legitimacy by making themselves _19_ to the code of conduct. That would make rulings more likely to be seen as separate from politics and, _20_, convincing as law.1. [A]emphasize [B]maintain[C]modify[D] recognize2. [A]when [B]lest[C]before[D] unless3. [A]restored [B]weakened [C]established[D] eliminated4. [A]challenged [B]compromised [C]suspected[D] accepted5. [A]advanced [B]caught[C]bound[D]founded6. [A]resistant [B]subject[C]immune[D]prone7. [A]resorts [B]sticks[C]loads[D]applies8. [A]evade [B]raise[C]deny[D]settle9. [A]line [B]barrier [C]similarity [D]conflict10. [A]by [B]as[C]though[D]towards11. [A]so[B]since [C]provided [D]though12. [A]serve [B]satisfy[C]upset[D]replace13. [A]confirm [B]express[C]cultivate [D]offer14. [A]guarded [B]followed [C]studied[D]tied15. [A]concepts [B]theories [C]divisions [D]conceptions16. [A]excludes [B]questions [C]shapes[D]controls17. [A]dismissed [B]released[C]ranked [D]distorted18. [A]suppress [B]exploit[C]address[D]ignore19. [A]accessible [B]amiable[C]agreeable [D]accountable20.[A]by all mesns [B]atall costs[C]in a word[D]as a resultSection II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Part BDirections:In the following text, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of the numbered blanks. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the blanks. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET1.(10 points)Think of those fleeting moments when you look out of an aeroplane window and realise that you are flying, higher than a bird. Now think of your laptop, thinner than a brown-paper envelope, or your cellphone in the palm of your hand. Take a moment or two to wonder at those marvels. You are the lucky inheritor of a dream come true.The second half of the 20th century saw a collection of geniuses, warriors,entrepreneurs and visionaries labour to create a fabulous machine that could function as a typewriter and printing press, studio and theatre, paintbrush and gallery, piano and radio, the mail as well as the mail carrier. (41)The networked computer is an amazing device, the first media machine that serves as the mode of production, means of distribution, site of reception, and place of praise and critique. The computer is the 21st century's culture machine.But for all the reasons there are to celebrate the computer, we must also tread with caution. (42)I call it a secret war for two reasons. First, most people do not realise that there are strong commercial agendas at work to keep them in passive consumption mode. Second, the majority of people who use networked computers to upload are not even aware of the significance of what they are doing.All animals download, but only a few upload. Beavers build dams and birds make nests. Yet for the most part, the animal kingdom moves through the world downloading. Humans are unique in their capacity to not only make tools but then turn around and use them to create superfluous material goods - paintings, sculpture and architecture - and superfluous experiences - music, literature, religion and philosophy.(43)For all the possibilities of our new culture machines, most people are still stuck in download mode. Even after the advent of widespread social media, a pyramid of production remains, with a small number of people uploading material, a slightly larger group commenting on or modifying that content, and a huge percentage remaining content to just consume. (44)Television is a one-way tap flowing into our homes. The hardest task that television asks of anyone is to turn the power off after he has turned it on.(45)What counts as meaningful uploading? My definition revolves around the concept of "stickiness" - creations and experiences to which others adhere.[A] Of course, it is precisely these superfluous things that define human culture and ultimately what it is to be human. Downloading and consuming culture requires great skills, but failing to move beyond downloading is to strip oneself of a defining constituent of humanity.[B] Applications like , which allow users to combine pictures, words and other media in creative ways and then share them, have the potential to add stickiness by amusing, entertaining and enlightening others.[C] Not only did they develop such a device but by the turn of the millennium they had also managed to embed it in a worldwide system accessed by billions of people every day.[D] This is because the networked computer has sparked a secret war between downloading and uploading - between passive consumption and active creation - whose outcome will shape our collective future in ways we can only begin to imagine.[E] The challenge the computer mounts to television thus bears little similarity to one format being replaced by another in the manner of record players being replaced by CD players.[F] One reason for the persistence of this pyramid of production is that for the pasthalf-century, much of the world's media culture has been defined by a single medium - television - and television is defined by downloading.[G]The networked computer offers the first chance in 50 years to reverse the flow, to encourage thoughtful downloading and, even more importantly, meaningful uploading. Part CDirections:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2. (10 points) Since the days of Aristotle, a search for universal principles has characterized the scientific enterprise. In some ways, this quest for commonalities defines science. Newton’s laws of motion and Darwinian evolution each bind a host of different phenomena into a single explicatory frame work.(46)In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme, and seeksa theory of everything—a single generative equation for all we see.It is becoming less clear, however, that such a theory would be a simplification, given the dimensions and universes that it might entail, nonetheless, unification of sorts remains a major goal.This tendency in the natural sciences has long been evident in the social sciences too.(47)Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification for it all humans share common origins it seems reasonable to suppose that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings. Just as the bewildering variety of human courtship rituals might all be considered forms of sexual selection, perhaps the world’s languages, music, social and religious customs and even history are governed by universal features. (48)To filterout what is unique from what is shared might enable us to understand how complex cultural behavior arose and what guides it in evolutionary or cognitive terms.That, at least, is the hope. But a comparative study of linguistic traits published online today supplies a reality check. Russell Gray at the University of Auckland and his colleagues consider the evolution of grammars in the light of two previous attempts to find universality in language.The most famous of these efforts was initiated by Noam Chomsky, who suggested that humans are born with an innate language—acquisition capacity that dictates a universal grammar. A few generative rules are then sufficient to unfold the entire fundamental structure of a language, which is why children can learn it so quickly.(49)The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many language which are considered to represent biases that result from cognitive constraintsGray and his colleagues have put them to the test by examining four family trees that between them represent more than 2,000 languages.(50)Chomsky’s grammar should show patterns of language change that are independent of the family tree or the pathway tracked through it. Whereas Greenbergian universality predicts strong co-dependencies between particular types of word-order relations. Neither of these patterns is borne out by the analysis, suggesting that the structures of the languages are lire age-specific and not governed by universals[NxtPage]2011年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Ancien t Greek philosopher Aristotle viewed laughter as “a bodily exercise precious to health.” But ­­­_1____some claims to the contrary, laughing probably has little influence on physical filness Laughter does _2____short-term changes in the function of the heart and its blood vessels, _3___ heart rate and oxygen consumption But because hard laughter is difficult to _4___, a good laugh is unlikely to have __5___ benefits the way, say, walking or jogging does.__6__, instead of straining muscles to build them, as exercise does, laughter apparently accomplishes the __7__, studies dating back to the 1930’s indicate that laughter. muscles,Such bodily reaction might conceivably help__8__the effects of psychological stress.Anyway,the act of laughing probably does produce other types of ____9__feedback,that improve an individual’s emotional state. __10____one classical theory of emotion,our feelings are partially rooted _____11__ physical reactions. It was argued at the end of the 19th century that humans do not cry ___12___they are sad but they become sad when te tears begin to flow.Although sadness also __13_____ tears,evidence suggests that emotions can flow __14___ muscular responses.In an experiment published in 1988,social psychologist Fritz.1.[A]among [B]except [C]despite [D]like2.[A]reflect [B]demand [C]indicate [D]produce3.[A]stabilizing [B]boosting [C]impairing [D]determining 4.[A]transmit [B]sustain [C]evaluate [D]observe5.[A]measurable [B]manageable [C]affordable [D]renewable 6.[A]In turn [B]In fact [C]In addition [D]In brief 7.[A]opposite [B]impossible [C]average [D]expected 8.[A]hardens [B]weakens [C]tightens [D]relaxes9.[A]aggravate [B]generate [C]moderate [D]enhance 10.[A]physical [B]mentl [C]subconscious [D]internal 11.[A]Except for [B]According to [C]Due to [D]As for 12.[A]with [B]on [C]in [D]at13.[A]unless [B]until C]if [D]because14.[A]exhausts [B]follows [C]precedes [D]suppresses 15.[A]into [B]from [C]towards [D]beyond16.[A]fetch [B]bite [C]pick [D]hold17.[A]disappointed [B]excited [C]joyful [D]indifferent 18.[A]adapted [B]catered [C]turned [D]reacted 19.[A]suggesting [B]requiring [C]mentioning [D]supposing 20.[A]Eventually [B]Consequently [C]Similarly [D]ConverselySection II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing [A], [B], [C] or [D]. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Part BDirections:The following paragraph are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent text by choosing from the list A-G to filling them into the numbered boxes. Paragraphs E and G have been correctly placed. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)[A] No disciplines have seized on professionalism with as much enthusiasm as the humanities. You can, Mr Menand points out, became a lawyer in three years and a medical doctor in four. But the regular time it takes to get a doctoral degree in the humanities is nine years. Not surprisingly, up to half of all doctoral students in English drop out before getting their degrees.[B] His concern is mainly with the humanities: Literature, languages, philosophy and so on. These are disciplines that are going out of style: 22% of American college graduates now major in business compared with only 2% in history and 4% in English. However, many leading American universities want their undergraduates to have a grounding in the basic canon of ideas that every educated person should posses. But most find it difficult to agree on what a “general education” should look like. At Harvard, Mr Menand notes, “the great books are read because they have been read”-they form a sort of social glue.[C] Equally unsurprisingly, only about half end up with professorships for which they entered graduate school. There are simply too few posts. This is partly becauseuniversities continue to produce ever more PhDs. But fewer students want to study humanities subjects: English departments aw arded more bachelor’s degrees in 1970-71 than they did 20 years later. Fewer students requires fewer teachers. So, at the end of a decade of theses-writing, many humanities students leave the profession to do something for which they have not been trained.[D] One reason why it is hard to design and teach such courses is that they can cut across the insistence by top American universities that liberal-arts educations and professional education should be kept separate, taught in different schools. Many students experience both varieties. Although more than half of Harvard undergraduates end up in law, medicine or business, future doctors and lawyers must study a non-specialist liberal-arts degree before embarking on a professional qualification.[E] Besides professionalizing the professions by this separation, top American universities have professionalised the professor. The growth in public money for academic research has speeded the process: federal research grants rose fourfold between 1960and 1990, but faculty teaching hours fell by half as research took its toll. Professionalism has turned the acquisition of a doctoral degree into a prerequisite for a successful academic career: as late as 1969a third of American professors did not possess one. But the key idea behind professionalisation, argues Mr Menand, is that “the knowledge and skills needed for a particular specialization are transmissible but not transferable.”So disciplines acquire a monopoly not just over the production of knowledge, but also over the production of the producers of knowledge.[F] The key to reforming higher education, concludes Mr Menand, is to alter the。

研究生试题及答案英语

研究生试题及答案英语

研究生试题及答案英语一、选择题(每题2分,共20分)1. The word "phenomenon" is most closely related to which of the following?A. AppearanceB. EventC. FactD. Factoid2. In the sentence "She is adept at playing the piano," the word "adept" means:A. SkilledB. ClumsyC. IndifferentD. Inexperienced3. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a narrative?A. Chronological orderB. Subjective interpretationC. Detailed descriptionD. Linear progression4. The phrase "to break the ice" is used to describe:A. Initiating a conversationB. Cooling a drinkC. Freezing a lakeD. Shattering a mirror5. The term "symbiosis" refers to a relationship between two organisms that is:A. Mutually beneficialB. CompetitiveC. ParasiticD. Predation6. The word "altruism" is associated with:A. SelfishnessB. GenerosityC. GreedD. Envy7. In the context of literature, "allegory" is a figure of speech that:A. Compares two things directlyB. Uses symbolism to represent abstract ideasC. Describes a real eventD. Provides a literal translation8. The phrase "to go the extra mile" means to:A. Travel an additional distanceB. Exceed expectationsC. Take a breakD. Avoid a task9. The word "pragmatic" is often used to describe someone who is:A. IdealisticB. Practical and realisticC. EmotionalD. Dogmatic10. In the sentence "The company is going to scale back its operations," the term "scale back" means:A. ExpandB. ReduceC. RelocateD. Reorganize二、填空题(每题1分,共10分)11. The opposite of "optimistic" is __________.12. "Ecology" is the branch of biology concerned with the relationships between __________ and their environments.13. The word "paradox" refers to a statement that despite sounding reasonable leads to a conclusion that seems__________.14. "Democracy" is a system of government where __________ have the authority to choose their governing legislation. 15. "Empathy" is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, which is the opposite of __________. 16. "Eloquence" is the quality of expressing oneself fluently and __________.17. "Hypocrisy" is the practice of claiming to have__________ or moral standards that one does not actually possess.18. "Inertia" in physics refers to the property of matter by which it remains at rest or in __________ motion unless acted upon by an external force.19. "Juxtaposition" is the act of placing two or more elements, subjects, or __________ close together or side byside.20. "Kaleidoscope" is an optical instrument that produces symmetrical patterns of __________ colors.三、阅读理解(每题2分,共20分)Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.Passage:In recent years, the concept of a "green economy" has gained traction globally. It is an economic system aimed at reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. The green economy seeks to improve human well-being and social equity while significantly reducing the environmental pressures of cities, industry, and agriculture. It is not simply about planting more trees or recycling; it encompasses a fundamental shift in the way we produce and consume goods and services.Questions:21. What is the primary goal of a green economy?A. Reducing environmental risksB. Improving social equityC. Enhancing human well-beingD. All of the above22. According to the passage, what is NOT a characteristic ofa green economy?A. Planting more treesB. Reducing ecological scarcitiesC. Fundamental shift in production and consumptionD. Recycling23. The term "green economy" is associated with which of the following?A. Economic growth at any costB. Environmental sustainabilityC. Ignoring social equityD. Unregulated industrial expansion24. What does the passage suggest about the scope of a green economy?A. It is limited to urban areasB. It applies to cities, industry, and agricultureC. It is only concerned with individual consumer choices。

考研英语真题及参考答案完整版()

考研英语真题及参考答案完整版()

来源:文都教育Sect ion I Use of En glishDirectio ns:Read the follow ing text. Choose the best word (s) for each nu mbered bla nk and mark A, B, C or Don the ANSWER SHEET. (10 poi nts)Trust is a tricky bus in ess. On the one han d, it's a n ecessary con diti on 1ma ny worthwhile thin gs: childcare, friendships, etc. On the other hand, putting your 2_, in the wrong place often carries a high 3._4, why do we trust at all? Well, because it feels good. 5 people place their trust in an in dividual or aninstitution, their brains release oxytocin, a hormone that 6 pleasurable feelings and triggers the herdingin struct that prompts huma ns to 7with one ano ther. Scien tists have found that exposure 8_this horm one putsus in a trust ing 9;_ln a Swiss study, researchers sprayed oxytoci n into the no ses of half the subjects; those subjects were ready to lend significantly higher amounts of money to strangers than were their 10 who in haled someth ing else.11 for us, we also have a sixth sense for dishonesty that may 12 us. A Canadian study found thatchildre n as young as 14 mon ths can differe ntiate 13_a credible pers on and a disho nest one. Sixty toddlerswere each 14 to an adult tester holding a plastic container. The tester would ask, “ What' s ilook ing into the container, smili ng, and exclaimi ng, “ Wow!” Each subject was_the n in vited to look 15. Hof them found a toy; the other half 16_the container was empty -and realized the tester had _17 them.Among the childre n who had not bee n tricked, the majority were 18 to cooperate with the tester inlearning a new skill, dem on strat ing that they trusted his leadership. 19,_only five of the 30 childre n paired with the _ “ 20 ”tester participated in a foipoactivity.1. [A] on [B] like [C] for [D] from2. [A] faith [B] concern [C] atte ntion [D] in terest3. [A] ben efit [B] debt [C] hope [D] price4. [A] Therefore [B] Then [C] In stead [D] Agai n5. [A]U ntil [B] Un less [C] Although [D] When6. [A] selects [B]produces [C] applies [D] mai ntains7. [A] con sult [B] compete [C] connect [D] compare8. [A] at [B] by [C]of [D]toSection II Readi ng Comprehe nsionPart A Directio ns:Read the follow ing four texts. An swer the questio ns below each text by choos ing A, B, C or D. Mark your an swerson the ANSWER SHEET. (40 poi nts)Text 1Among the annoying challe nges facing the middle class is one that will probably go unmen ti oned in the n ext preside ntial campaig n: What happe ns whe n the robots come for their jobs?Don't dismiss that possibility entirely. About half of . jobs are at high risk of being automated, according to a University of Oxford study, with the middle class disproportionately squeezed. Lower - in come jobs like garde ning or day care don't appeal to robots. But many middle-class occupatio ns-truck ing, finan cial advice, software engin eeri ng — have aroused their in terest, or soon will.The rich own the robots, so they will be fine.This isn't to be alarmist. Optimists point out that tech no logical upheaval has ben efited workers in the past. The In dustrial Revoluti on did n't go so well for Luddites whose jobs were displaced by mecha ni zed looms, but it eventually raised living standards and created more jobs than it destroyed. Likewise, automati on should even tually boost productivity, stimulate dema nd by drivi ng dow n prices, and free10.[A] cou nterparts [B] substitutes 11.[A] Funny [B] Lucky 12.[A] mon itor [B] protect 13.[A] betwee n _| [B] within 14.[A] tra nsferred[B]added15.[A] out [B] back 16.[A] discovered [B] proved 17.[A] betrayed [B]wro nged 18.[A] forced [B] willi ng 19.[A] In con trast[B] As a result 20.[A] in flexible [B] in capable[C] period [D] circle [C] colleagues [D]supporters [C] Odd [D] Ironic [C] surprise [D] delight [C] toward [D] over [C] in troduced[D] en trusted[C] arou nd[D] in side[C] in sisted [D] .remembered [C] fooled [D] mocked [C] hesita nt [D] en titled [C] On the whole [D] For in sta nee[C] unreliable |[D] un suitable9. [A] con text [B] moodworkers from hard, boring work. But in the medium term, middle -class workers may need a lot of help adjusti ng.The first step, as Erik Brynjolfss on and An drew McAfee argue in The Second Mach ine Age, should be rethinking education and job training. Curriculums —from grammar school to college- should evolve to focus less on memorizing facts and more on creativity and complex communication. Vocational schools should do a better job of fostering problem -solving skills and helping students work alongside robots. Online education can supplement the traditional kind. It could make extra training and instruction affordable. Professi on als trying to acquire new skills will be able to do so without going into debt.The challe nge of cop ing with automati on un derl ines the n eed for the . to revive its fadi ng bus in ess dyn amism: Starti ng new compa nies must be made easier. I n previous eras of drastic tech no logical cha nge, en trepre neurs smoothed the tran siti on by dream ing up ways to comb ine labor and mach in es. The best uses of 3D prin ters and virtual reality have n't bee n inven ted yet. The . n eeds the new compa nies that will invent them.Fin ally, because automati on threate ns to wide n the gap betwee n capital in come and labor in come, taxes and the safety net will have to be rethought. Taxes on low-wage labor need to be cut, and wage subsidies such as the earned in come tax credit should be expa nded: This would boost i ncomes, en courage work, reward compa nies for job creati on, and reduce in equality.Tech no logy will improve society in ways big and small over the n ext few years, yet this will be little comfort to those who find their lives and careers upended by automation.Destro ying the mach ines that are coming for our jobs would be nu ts. But policies to help workers adapt will be in dispe nsable.will be most threate ned by automati on?[A] Leadi ng politicia ns.[B] Low -wage laborers.[C] Robot ow ners.[D] Middle -class workers.22 .Which of the following best represent the authors view?[A] Worries about automati on are in fact groun dless.[B] Optimists' opinions on new tech find little support.[C] lssues aris ing from automati on n eed to be tackled[D] Negative con seque nces of new tech can be avoidedin the age of automati on should put more emphasis on[A] creative pote ntial.[B] job -hunting skills.[C] i ndividual n eeds.[D] cooperative spirit.author suggests that tax policies be aimed at[A] en couragi ng the developme nt of automati on.[B] i ncreas ing the retur n on capital in vestme nt.[C] easing the hostility between rich and poor.[D] preve nti ng the in come gap from wide ning.this text, the author prese nts a problem with[A] oppos ing views on it.[B] possible soluti ons to it.[C] its alarmi ng impacts.[D] its major variati ons.Text 2A new survey by Harvard Un iversity finds more tha n two -thirds of young America ns disapprove ofPreside nt Trump ' s use of Twitter. The implicati on is that Mille nni als prefer n ews from the White House to be filtered through other source, Not a preside nt ' s social media platform.Most America ns rely on social media to check daily headli nes. Yet as distrust has rise n toward all media, people may be start ing to beef up their media literacy skills. Such a trend is badly n eeded. During the 2016 presidential campaign, nearly a quarter of web content shared by Twitter users in the politically critical state of Michiga n was fake n ews, accord ing to the Un iversity of Oxford. And a survey con ducted for BuzzFeed News found 44 perce nt of Facebook users rarely or n ever trust n ews from the media gia nt.Young people who are digital n atives are in deed beco ming more skillful at separati ng fact from fictio nin cyberspace. A Knight Foundation focus -group survey of young people between ages 14and24 found they use “ distributed trust 'to verify stories. They cross-check sources and prefer news from different perspectives —especially those that are open about any bias. “ Many young people assume a great deal pers onal resp on sibility for educati ng themselves and actively seek ing out oppos ing viewpo in ts, con cluded.Such active research can have ano ther effect. A 2014 survey con ducted in Australia, Britai n, and theUn ited States by the Uni versity of Wisc onsin -Madis on found that young people s relia nee on social medialed to greater political en gageme nt.Social media allows users to experienee news events more intimately and immediately while also permitting them to re -share news as a projection of their values and interests. This forces users to be more con scious of their role in pass ing along in formatio n. A survey by Barna research group found the top reas on give n by America ns for the fake n ews phe nomenon is “ readeerror, more so tha n made-up stories or factual mistakes in reporting. About a third say the problem of fake news lies in “ misinterpretationor exaggeration of actual news ” via social media. In other words, the choice to share news on social mediamay be the heart of the issue. “ This in dicates there is a real pers onal resp on sibility in coun teract ing this problem, ” says Roxanne Stone, editor in chief at Barna Group.So when young people are critical of an over-tweeti ng preside nt, they reveal a men tal discipli ne in thinking skills - and in their choices on when to share on social media.26. Accord ing to the Paragraphs 1 and 2, many young America ns cast doubts on[A] the justification of the news -filtering practice.[B] people ' s preferenee for social media platforms.[C] the adm ini strati ons ability to han dle in formati on.[D] social media was a reliable source of n ews.27. The phrase “ beer up ”(Line 2, Para. 2) is closest in meaning to[A] sharpe n[B] defi ne[C] boast[D] share28. Accord ing to the kni ght foun dati on survey, young people[A] te nd to voice their opinions in cyberspace.[B] verify n ews by referri ng to diverse resources.[C] have s strong sense of resp on sibility.[D] like to excha nge views on “ distributed trust ”29. The Barna survey found that a main cause for the fake news problem is[A] readers outdated values.[B] jo urn alists biased report ing[C] readers ' misin terpretati on[D] journalists '-umatteies.30. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?[A] A Rise in Critical Skills for Sharing News Online[B] A Counteraction Against the Over -tweeting Trend[C] The Accumulation of Mutual Trust on Social Media.[D] The Platforms for Projectio n of Personal In terests.Text 3Any fair- min ded assessme ntof the dan gers of the deal betwee n Brita in's Nati onal Health Service(NHS) and DeepM ind must start by ack no wledgi ng that both sides mean well. DeepM ind is one of the leading artificial intelligenee (AI) companies in the world. The potential of this work applied to healthcare is very great, but it could also lead to further concen trati on of power in the tech gia nts. It Is aga inst that backgro und that the in formati on commissi oner, Elizabeth Den ham, has issued her damning verdict aga inst the Royal Free hospital trust under the NHS, which handed over to DeepMind the records of million patients In 2015 on the basis of a vague agreement which took far too little account of the patients' rights and their expectatio ns of privacy.DeepMind has almost apologized. The NHS trust has mended its ways. Further arrangement& and there may be many-between the NHS and DeepMind will be carefully scrutinised to ensure that all n ecessary permissi ons have bee n asked of patie nts and all unn ecessary data has bee n clea ned. There are less ons about in formed patie nt consent to learn. But privacy is not the only an gle in this case and not even the most importa nt. Ms Den ham chose to concen trate the blame on the NHS trust, since un der exist ing law it “ con trolled ” the data and DeepM ind merely “ processed" it. But this disti nction misses the point that it isprocess ing and aggregatio n, not the mere possessi on of bits, that gives the data value.The great questi on is who should ben efit from the an alysis of all the data that our lives now gen erate.Privacy law builds on the con cept of damage to an in dividual from ide ntifiable kno wledge about them. That misses the way the surveilla nce economy works. The data of an in dividual there gains its value only whe n it is compared with the data of coun tless milli ons more.The use of privacy law to curb the tech giants in this instance feels slightly maladapted. This practice does not address the real worry. It is not eno ugh to say that the algorithms DeepM ind develops will ben efit patie nts and save lives. What matters is that they will bel ong to a private mono poly which developed them using public resources. If software promises to save lives on the scale that dugs now can, big data may be expected to behave as a big pharm has done. We are still at the beginning of this revolution and small choices now may turn out to have gigantic consequences later. A long struggle will be needed to avoid a future of digital feudalism. Ms Den ham's report is a welcome start.is true of the agreement between the NHS and DeepMind ?[A] It caused con flicts among tech gia nts.[B] It failed to pay due attention to patient s rights.[C] It fell short of the latter's expectatio ns[D] It put both sides into a dangerous situation.32. The NHS trust respo nded to Den ham's verdict with[A] empty promises.[B] tough resista nee.[C] n ecessary adjustme nts.[D] sin cere apologies.author argues in Paragraph 2 that[A] privacy protect ion must be secured at all costs.[B] leak ing patie nts' data is worse tha n selli ng it.[C] making profits from patients' data is illegal.[D] the value of data comes from the processing of it |to the last paragraph, the real worry arising from this deal is[A] the vicious rivalry among big pharmas.[B] the in effective en forceme nt of privacy law.[C] the uncon trolled use of new software.[D] the mon opoly of big data by tech gia nts.author's attitude toward the applicati on of AI to healthcare is[A] ambiguous.[B] cautious.[C] appreciative.[D] con temptuous.Text 4The . Postal Service (USPS) continues to bleed red ink. It reported a net loss of $ billion for fiscal 2016, the 10th straight year its expe nses have exceeded revenue. Mean while, it has more tha n $120 billi on in unfunded liabilities, mostly for employee health and retirement costs. There are many bankruptcies. Fun dame ntally, the USPS is in a historic squeeze betwee n tech no logical cha nge that has perma nen tly decreased dema nd for its bread -an d-butter product, first -class mail, and a regulatory structure that denies management the flexibility to adjust its operations to the new realityAnd interest groups ranging from postal unions to greeting -card makers exert self -interested pressure on the USPS sultimate overseer-Congress-insisting that whatever else happens to the Postal Service, aspects of the status quo they depe nd on get protected. This is why repeated attempts at reform legislati on have failed in recent years, leaving the Postal Service unable to pay its bills except by deferring vital moder ni zati on.Now comes word that every one in volved ---Democrats, Republica ns, the Postal Service, the unions and the system's heaviest users —hasnally agreed on a plan to fix the system. Legislation is moving through the House that would save USPS an estimated $ billion over five years, which could help pay for new vehicles, among other survival measures. Most of the money would come from a penny-per-letter perma nent rate in crease and from shift ing postal retirees into Medicare. The latter step would largely offset the financial burden of annually pre -funding retiree health care, thus addressing a long -standing complaint by the USPS and its union.If it clears the House, this measure would still have to get through the Sen ate —wheresome one is bound to point out that it amounts to the bare, bare minimum n ecessary to keep the Postal Service afloat, not comprehensive reform. There ' no change to collective bargaining at the USPS, a major omission considering that personnel accounts for 80 percent of the agency ' s costs. Also missing is any discussioelim in at ing Saturday letter delivery. That com mon-sense cha nge enjoys wide public support and would save the USPS $2 billion per year. But postal special -interest groups seem to have killed it, at least in the House. The emerging consensus around the bill is a sign that legislators are getting frightened about a politically embarrassing short-term collapse at the USPS. It is not, however, a sign that they ' getting serious about tran sform ing the postal system for the 21st cen tury.finan cial problem with the USPS is caused partly by[A] . its un bala need budget.[B] .its rigid man ageme nt.[C] .the cost for tech nical upgradi ng.[D] . the withdrawal of bank support.37. Accord ing to Paragraph 2, the USPS fails to moder nize itself due to[A] . the in terfere nee from in terest groups.[B] .the in adequate funding from Con gress.[C] .the shri nking dema nd for postal service.[D] .the in compete nee of postal unions.Ion g-sta nding eompla int by the USPS and its unions can be addressed by[A] .removi ng its burde n of retiree health care.[B] .making more investment in new vehicles.[C] .adopting a new rate -increase mechanism.[D] . attracting more first -class mail users.the last paragraph, the author seems to view legislators with[A] respect.[B] tolera nee.[C] disconten1.1[D] gratitude.of the following would be the best title for the text?[A] The USPS Starts to Miss Its Good Old Days[B] The Postal Service: Keep Away from My Cheese[C] The USPS: Chro nic Ill ness Requires a Quick Cure[D] The Postal Service Needs More than a Band -AidPart BDirectio ns:The following paragraphs are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45, you are required to reorga nize these paragraphs into a cohere nt article by choos ing from the list A -G and filli ng them into the nu mbered boxes. Paragraphs C and F have bee n correctly placed. Mark your an swers on ANSWER SHEET. (10 poi nts)A. In December of 1869, Con gress appo in ted a commissi on to select a site and prepare pla ns and cost estimates for a new State Departme nt Buildi ng. The commissi on was also to con sider possible arran geme nts for the War and Navy Departme nts. To the horror of some who expected a Greek Revival twin of the Treasury Building to be erected on the other side of the White House, the elaborate French Second Empire style design by Alfred Mullett was selected, and construction of a building to house all three departme nts bega n in June of 1871.B. Completed in 1875, the State Departme nt's south wing was the first to be occupied, with its elega nt four-story library (completed in 1876), Diplomatic Recepti on Room, and Secretary's office decorated with carved wood, Orie ntal rugs, and ste nciled wall patter ns. The Navy Departme nt moved into the east wing in 1879, where elaborate wall and ceiling stenciling and marquetry floors decorated the office of the Secretary.C. The State, War, and Navy Buildi ng, as it was orig in ally known, housed the three Executive Branch Departme nts most in timately associated with formulati ng and con duct ing the n ati on's foreig n policy in thelast quarter of the nineteenth century and the first quarter of the twentieth century-the period when the United States emerged as an international power. The building has housed some of the nation's most sig ni fica nt diplomats and politicia ns and has bee n the scene of many historic even ts.D. Many of the most celebrated n ati onal figures have participated in historical eve nts that have take n place within the EEOB's gra nite walls. Theodore and Fran kli n D. Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Dwight D. Eise nhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Gerald Ford, and George H. W. Bush all had offices in this buildi ng before beco ming preside nt. It has housed 16 Secretaries of the Navy, 21 Secretaries of War, and 24 Secretaries of State. Winston Churchill once walked its corridors and Japa nese emissaries met here with Secretary of State Cordell Hull after the bomb ing of Pearl Harbor.E. The Eise nhower Executive Office Buildi ng (EEOB) comma nds a unique positi on in both the n atio nal history and the architectural heritage of the Un ited States. Desig ned by Supervis ing Architect ofthe Treasury, Alfred B. Mullett, it was built from 1871 to 1888 to house the grow ing staffs of the State, War, and Navy Departme nts, and is con sidered one of the best examples of French Second Empire architecture in the coun try.F. Con struct ion took 17 years as the buildi ng slowly rose wing by wing. When the EEOB was fini shed,it was the largest office building in Washington, with nearly 2 miles of black and white tiled corridors. Almost all of the in terior detail is of cast iron or plaster; the use of wood was mini mized to in sure fire safety. Eight monumen tal curvi ng staircases of gra nite with over 4,000 in dividually cast bronze balusters are capped by four skylight domes and two sta ined glass rot un das.G. The history of the EEOB bega n long before its foun dati ons were laid. The first executive offices were con structed betwee n 1799 and 1820. A series of fires (in cludi ng those set by the British in 1814) and overcrowded con diti ons led to the con struct ion of the exist ing Treasury Buildi ng. In 1866, the con struct ion of the North Wing of the Treasury Buildi ng n ecessitated the demoliti on of the State Departme nt buildi ng.【答案】41. (E) T C T 42. (G) T 43. (A) 44. (B) 45. (D)Part CDirectio ns:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your tran slation should be written neatly on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 poi nts)Shakespeare ' s life time was coincident with a period of extraordinary activity and achievement in the drama.(46) By the date of his birth Europe was witnessing the passing of the religious drama, and the creation of new forms under the incentive of classical tragedy and comedy. These new forms were at first mainly written by scholars and performed by amateurs, but in England, as everywhere else in western Europe, the growth of a class of professional actors was threatening to make the drama popular, whether it should be new or old, classical or medieval, literary or farcical. Court, school organizations of amateurs, and the traveling actors were all rivals in supplying a widespread desire for dramatic entertainment; and (47) no boy who went a grammar school could be ignorant that the drama was a form of literature which gave glory to Greece and Rome and might yet bring honor to England.When Shakespeare was twelve years old, the first public playhouse was built in London. For a time literature showed no interest in this public stage. Plays aiming at literary distinction were written for school or court, or for the choir boys of St. Paul' s and the royal chapel, who, however, gave plays in public as wel as at court.(48) but the professi onal compa nies prospered in their perma nent theaters, and uni versity men with literatureambiti ons were quick to turn to these theaters as offeri ng a means of livelihood. By the time Shakespeare was twen ty-five, Lyly, Peele, and Gree ne had made comedies that were at once popular and literary; Kyd had written a tragedy that crowded the pit; and Marlowe had brought poetry and genius to triumph on the com mon stage - where they had played no part since the death of Euripides. (49) A native literary drama had bee n created, its allia nee with the public playhouses established, and at least some of its great traditi ons had bee n beg un.The developme nt of the Elizabetha n drama for the n ext twenty -five years is of excepti onal in terest tostudents of literary history, for in this brief period we may trace the beginning, growth, blossoming, and decay of many kinds of plays, and of many great careers. We are amazed today at the mere nu mber of plays produced, as well as by the number of dramatists writing at the same time for this London of two hundred thousa nd in habita nts. (50)To realize how great was the dramatic activity, we must remember further that hosts of plays have bee n lost, and that probably there is no author of note whose en tire work has survived.【参考译文】46. 到莎士比亚出生的年代,欧洲经历了宗教戏剧的消亡,以及在古典悲剧和喜剧的影响下新的戏剧形式的产生。

考研英语历年英语阅读真题及答案

考研英语历年英语阅读真题及答案

考研英语历年英语阅读真题及答案考研英语阅读是考试中的重要部分,通过阅读理解题目,考生可以提升英语语言能力和考试答题能力。

下面将为大家整理一些历年考研英语阅读真题及答案,供各位考生参考。

一、真题一阅读理解题目:Passage 1Questions 1-3 are based on the following passage.Vasily Grossman, a journalist and writer, was recognized only belatedly in the Soviet Union. But by the time of his death in 1964 his works could no longer be ignored or suppressed completely.Grossman was born in a Jewish family in 1905 in Berdichev (Ukraine) and after training for a career in civil engineering became a writer and journalist, first in Ukraine, then in Moscow. His first literary success was a volume of short stories (1934) and his first novel, Stalingrad (1952), established his reputation as a writer of remarkable talents. It is a fine example of the "Bread and Battles" type of fiction-- novels with a Central Russian war theme.Between the wars Grossman established himself as a newspaper reporter of the first rank. At the outbreak of the German invasion in 1941 he became a war reporter. His articles in the army newspaper Red Star had considerable effect. After the war he continued to write--describing, for example, the1943 Battle of Kursk in which a German advance was halted. These articles lead directly to the writing of Stalingrad.In 1959 his novel Life and Fate was finished, and when it became apparent that the manuscript would be suppressed by the authorities, Grossman gave copies to friends. A "textbook example of containment," the manuscript switched across the Iron Curtain and was first published in the West in 1980; in the Soviet Union only an abridged version was eventually published in 1988.Grossman's major themes are war and totalitarianism. He writes with great authority and humanity. In his later years he suffered from cruel persecution at the hands of the authorities and died a broken man.1. Vasily Grossman was initially recognized as a writer(A) during his lifetime(B) after his death(C) when his works were published in the West(D) after his works had been highly evaluated2. Grossman's first novel, Stalingrad, established his reputation by(A) describing a battle of the Second World War(B) criticizing the authorities' persecution(C) relating his post-war experience(D) criticizing totalitarianism3. Grossman's Life and Fate(A) was not praised as much as Stalingrad(B) was first published in the Soviet Union(C) was taken out of the Soviet Union in its entirety(D) was intended to show the effects of containment参考答案:1. A2. A3. C二、真题二阅读理解题目:Passage 2It is a common belief that emotions interfere with our reasoning abilities and lead to irrational decisions. However, recent studies have shown that emotions can actually be beneficial to the decision-making process.One study conducted by neuroscientist Antonio Damasio revealed that individuals with damage to a specific part of the brain had difficulty making decisions, even though their intelligence was not affected. This study suggests that emotions play a crucial role in our ability to make choices.Another study conducted by psychologists Loewenstein and Lerner found that individuals who experienced mild emotions during the decision-making process made better decisions compared to those who were emotionally neutral. This suggests that emotions can provide valuable information that can aid in decision-making.Furthermore, research has shown that individuals who are able to understand and regulate their emotions have better decision-making skills. This is because emotional intelligence allows individuals to consider both their rational thoughts and emotional responses when making decisions.In conclusion, emotions are not always detrimental to decision-making. They can provide valuable information and aid in the decision-making process. Additionally, individuals who possess emotional intelligence have better decision-making skills overall.4. According to the passage, recent studies have shown that emotions(A) interfere with our reasoning abilities(B) lead to irrational decisions(C) play a crucial role in decision-making(D) have no impact on decision-making5. The study conducted by Antonio Damasio suggests that individuals with damage to a specific part of the brain(A) have difficulty making decisions due to a lack of intelligence(B) have no emotional responses to aid in decision-making(C) are more likely to make irrational decisions(D) experience interference from their emotions when making decisions6. According to Loewenstein and Lerner's study, individuals who experienced mild emotions during the decision-making process(A) made better decisions compared to those who were emotionally neutral(B) were more likely to make irrational decisions(C) had difficulty making decisions due to a lack of emotional responses(D) had no impact on their decision-making abilities参考答案:4. C5. A6. A根据上述两道真题及其答案,我们可以看到考研英语阅读理解题目通常包括一篇或多篇文章,每篇文章后面配有若干问题,考生需要根据文章内容选择正确的答案。

历年考研英语真题及答案解析( 解密版)

历年考研英语真题及答案解析( 解密版)
[A] in that
[B] in which
[C] in order that
[D] in the way
13.He is ________ of an actor.
[A] anybody
[B] anyone
[C] somebody
[D] something
14.The captain apologized ________ to tell us more about the accident.
EXAMPLE:
I was caught ________ the rain yesterday.
[A] in
[B] by
[C] with
[D] at
ANSWER: [A]
1.No doctors could cure the patient ________ his strange disease.
[A] right
[B] definite
[C] fixed
[D] final
6.We can rely on William to carry out this mission, for his judgment is always ________.
[A] unquestionable
[B] sound
全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题
Section I: Structure and Vocabulary
In each question, decide which of the four choices given will most suitably complete the sentence if inserted at the place marked. Put your choice in the brackets on the left. (15 points)
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2013年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section ⅠUse of EnglishDirections: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)People are, on the whole, poor at considering background information when making individual decisions. At first glance this might seem like a strength that 1 the ability to make judgments which are unbiased by 2 factors. But Dr. Uri Simonsohn speculated that an inability to consider the big 3 was leading decision-makers to be biased by the daily samples of information they were working with. 4 , he theorised that a judge 5 of appearing too soft 6 crime might be more likely to send someone to prison 7 he had already sentenced five or six other defendants only to probation on that day.To 8 this idea, he turned to the university-admissions process. In theory, the 9 of an applicant should not depend on the few others 10 randomly for interview during the same day, but Dr Simonsohn suspected the truth was 11 .He studied the results of 9,323 MBA interviews, 12 by 31 admissions officers. The interviewers had 13 applicants on a scale of one to five. This scale 14 numerous factors into consideration. The scores were 15 used in conjunction with an applicant's score on the Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, a standardised exam which is 16 out of 800 points, to make a decision on whether to accept him or her.Dr Simonsohn found if the score of the previous candidate in a daily series of interviewees was 0.75 points or more higher than that of the one 17 that, then the score for the next applicant would 18 by an average of 0.075 points. This might sound small, but to 19 the effects of such a decrease a candidate would need 30 more GMAT points than would otherwise have been 20 .1.[A] grant [B] submits [C] transmits [D] delivers2.[A] minor [B]objective [C] crucial [D] external3.[A] issue [B] vision [C] picture [D] moment4.[A] For example [B] On average [C] In principle[D] Above all5.[A] fond [B]fearful [C] capable [D] thoughtless6.[A] in [B] on [C] to [D] for7.[A] if [B]until [C] though [D] unless8.[A] promote [B]emphasize [C] share [D] test9.[A] decision [B] quality [C] status [D] success10.[A] chosen [B]stupid [C]found [D] identified11.[A] exceptional [B] defensible [C] replaceable [D] otherwise12.[A] inspired [B]expressed [C] conducted [D] secured13.[A] assigned [B]rated [C] matched [D] arranged14.[A] put [B]got [C]gave [D] took15.[A]instead [B]then [C] ever [D] rather16.[A]selected [B]passed [C] marked [D] introduced17.[A]before [B] after [C] above [D] below18.[A] jump [B] float [C] drop [D] fluctuate19.[A]achieve [B]undo [C] maintain [D]disregard20. [A] promising [B] possible [C] necessary [D] helpfulSection ⅡReading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions after each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points) Part BDirections:In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of the numbered blank. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the gaps. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)The social sciences are flourishing.As of 2005,there were almost half a million professional social scientists from all fields in the world, working both inside and outside academia. According to the World Social Science Report 2010,the number of social-science students worldwide has swollen by about 11% every year since 2000.Yet this enormous resource in not contributing enough to today’s global challenges including climate change, security,sustainable development and health.(41)______Humanity has the necessary agro-technological tools to eradicate hunger , from genetically engineered crops to arificial fertilizers . Here , too, the problems are social: the organization and distribution of food, wealth and prosperity.(42)____This is a shame—the community should be grasping the opportunity to raise its influence in the real world. To paraphrase the great social scientist Joseph Schumpeter:there is no radical innovation without creative destruction .Today ,the social sciences are largely focused on disciplinary problems and internal scholarly debates,rather than on topics with external impact.Analyses reveal that the number of papers including the keywords “environmental changed” or “climate change” have increased rapidly since2004,(43)____When social scientists do tackle practical issues ,their scope is oftenlocal:Belgium is interested mainly in the effects of poverty on Belgium for example .And whether the community’s work contributes much to an overall accumulation of knowledge is doubtful.The problem is not necessarily the amount of available funding (44)____this is an adequate amount so long as it is aimed in the right direction. Social scientists who complain about a lack of funding should not expect more in today’s economic climate.The trick is to direct these funds better.The European Union Framework funding programs have long had a category specifically targeted at social scientists.This year,it was proposed that system be changed:Horizon 2020,a new program to be enacted in 2014,would not have such a category ,This has resulted in protests from social scientists.But the intention is not to neglect social science ; rather ,the complete opposite.(45)____That should create more collaborative endeavors and help to develop projects aimed directly at solving global problems.[A] It could be that we are evolving two communities of socialscientists:one that is discipline-oriented and publishing in highlyspecialized journals,and one that is problem-oriented and publishingelsewhere,such as policy briefs.[B] However,the numbers are still small:in 2010,about 1,600 of the100,000 social-sciences papers published globally included one of theseKeywords.[C] the idea is to force social to integrate their work with other categories, including health and demographic change food security, marine research and thebio-economy, clear, efficient energy; and inclusive, innovative and secure societies.[D] the solution is to change the mindset of the academic community, and what it considers to be its main goal. Global challenges and social innovation ought to receive much more attention from scientists, especially the young ones.[E] These issues all have root causes in human behavior . all require behavioral change and social innovations , as well as technological development . Stemmingclimate change , for example , is as much about changing consumption patterns and promoting tax acceptance as it is about developing clean energy.[F] Despite these factors , many social scientists seem reluctant to tackle such problems . And in Europe , some are up in arms over a proposal to drop a specific funding category for social-science research and to integrate it within cross-cutting topics of sustainable development .[G] During the late 1990s , national spending on social sciences and the humanities as a percentage of all research and development funds-including government, higher education, non-profit and corporate -varied from around 4% to 25%; in most European nations , it is about 15%.Part B: (10 points)Section III Translation46. Directions: Translate the following text from English to Chinese. Write your translation on ANSWER SHEET2. (10 points)Directions:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2. (10 points)It is speculated that gardens arise from a basic need in the individuals who made them: the need for creative expression. There is no doubt that gardens evidence an impossible urge to create, express, fashion, and beautify and that self-expression is a basic human urge; (46) Yet when one looks at the photographs of the garden created by the homeless, it strikes one that , for all their diversity of styles, these gardens speak os various other fundamental urges, beyond that of decoration and creative expression.One of these urges had to do with creating a state of peace in the midst of turbulence, a “still point of the turning world,” to borrow a phrase from T. S. Eliot.(47)A sacred place of peace, however crude it may be, is a distinctly human need, as opposed to shelter, which is a distinctly animal need. This distinction is so much so that where the latter is lacking, as it is for these unlikely gardens, the foemer becomes all the more urgent. Composure is a state of mind made possible by the structuring of one’s relation to one’s environment. (48) The gardens of the homeless which are in effect homeless gardens introduce from into an urban environment where it either didn’t exist or was not discernible as such. In so doing they givecomposure to a segment of the inarticulate environment in which they take their stand.Another urge or need that these gardens appear to respond to, or to arise from is so intrinsic that we are barely ever conscious of its abiding claims on us. When we are deprived of green, of plants, of trees, (49)most of us give into a demoralization of spirit which we usually blame on some psychological conditions, until one day we find ourselves in garden and feel the expression vanish as if by magic. In most of the homeless gardens of New York City the actual cultivation of plants is unfeasible, yet even so the compositions often seem to represent attempts to call arrangement of materials, an institution of colors, small pool of water, and a frequent presence of petals or leaves as well as of stuffed animals. On display here are various fantasy elements whose reference, at some basic level, seems to be the natural world. (50)It is this implicit or explicit reference to nature that fully justifies the use of word garden though in a “liberated” sense, to describe these synthetic constructions. In them we can see biophilia- a yearning for contact with nonhuman life-assuming uncanny representational forms.Section III WritingParty A51 Directions:Write an e-mail of about 100 words to a foreign teacher in your college inviting him/her to be a judge for the upcoming English speech contest.You should include the details you think necessary.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET.Do not sign your own name at the end of the e-mail. Use “Li Ming” instead.Do not write the address. (10 points)Part B: (20 points)Part B52 Directions:Write an essay of about 160 – 200 words based on the following drawing. In your essay, you should(1) describe the drawing briefly,(2) interpret its intended meaning, and(3) give your comments.You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET. (20 points)2013年考研英语真题答案2012年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)The ethical judgments of the Supreme Court justices have become an important issue recently. The court cannot _1_ its legitimacy as guardian of the rule of law _2_ justices behave like politicians. Yet, in several instances, justices acted in ways that _3_ the court’s reputation for being independent and impartial.Justice Antonin Scalia, for example, appeared at political events. That kind of activity makes it less likely that the court’s decisions will be _4_ as impartial judgments. Part of the problem is that the justices are not _5_by an ethics code. At the very least, the court should make itself _6_to the code of conduct that _7_to the rest of the federal judiciary.This and other similar cases _8_the question of whether there is still a _9_between the court and politics.The framers of the Constitution envisioned law _10_having authority apart from politics. They gave justices permanent positions _11_they would be free to _12_ those in power and have no need to _13_ political support. Our legal system was designed to set law apart from politics precisely because they are so closely _14_. Constitutional law is political because it results from choices rooted in fundamental social _15_ like liberty and property. When the court deals with social policy decisions, the law it _16_ is inescapably political-which is why decisions split along ideological lines are so easily _17_ as unjust.The justices must _18_ doubts about the court’s legitimacy by making themselves _19_ to the code of conduct. That would make rulings more likely to be seen as separate from politics and, _20_, convincing as law.1. [A]emphasize [B]maintain [C]modify [D] recognize2. [A]when [B]lest [C]before [D] unless3. [A]restored [B]weakened [C]established [D] eliminated4. [A]challenged [B]compromised [C]suspected [D] accepted5. [A]advanced [B]caught [C]bound [D]founded6. [A]resistant [B]subject [C]immune [D]prone7. [A]resorts [B]sticks [C]loads [D]applies8. [A]evade [B]raise [C]deny [D]settle9. [A]line [B]barrier [C]similarity [D]conflict10. [A]by [B]as [C]though [D]towards11. [A]so [B]since [C]provided [D]though12. [A]serve [B]satisfy [C]upset [D]replace13. [A]confirm [B]express [C]cultivate [D]offer14. [A]guarded [B]followed [C]studied [D]tied15. [A]concepts [B]theories [C]divisions [D]conceptions16. [A]excludes [B]questions [C]shapes [D]controls17. [A]dismissed [B]released [C]ranked [D]distorted18. [A]suppress [B]exploit [C]address [D]ignore19. [A]accessible [B]amiable [C]agreeable [D]accountable[B]atall costs [C]in a word [D]as a result20.[A]by allmesnsSection II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Part BDirections:In the following text, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 41-45, choose the most suitable one from the list A-G to fit into each of the numbered blanks. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the blanks. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET1.(10 points)Think of those fleeting moments when you look out of an aeroplane window and realise that you are flying, higher than a bird. Now think of your laptop, thinner than a brown-paper envelope, or your cellphone in the palm of your hand. Take a moment or two to wonder at those marvels. You are the lucky inheritor of a dream come true. The second half of the 20th century saw a collection of geniuses, warriors, entrepreneurs and visionaries labour to create a fabulous machine that could function as a typewriter and printing press, studio and theatre, paintbrush and gallery, piano and radio, the mail as well as the mail carrier. (41)The networked computer is an amazing device, the first media machine that serves as the mode of production, means of distribution, site of reception, and place ofpraise and critique. The computer is the 21st century's culture machine.But for all the reasons there are to celebrate the computer, we must also tread with caution. (42)I call it a secret war for two reasons. First, most people do not realise that there are strong commercial agendas at work to keep them in passive consumption mode. Second, the majority of people who use networked computers to upload are not even aware of the significance of what they are doing.All animals download, but only a few upload. Beavers build dams and birds make nests. Yet for the most part, the animal kingdom moves through the world downloading. Humans are unique in their capacity to not only make tools but then turn around and use them to create superfluous material goods - paintings, sculpture and architecture - and superfluous experiences - music, literature, religion and philosophy. (43)For all the possibilities of our new culture machines, most people are still stuck in download mode. Even after the advent of widespread social media, a pyramid of production remains, with a small number of people uploading material, a slightly larger group commenting on or modifying that content, and a huge percentage remaining content to just consume. (44)Television is a one-way tap flowing into our homes. The hardest task that television asks of anyone is to turn the power off after he has turned it on.(45)What counts as meaningful uploading? My definition revolves around the concept of "stickiness" - creations and experiences to which others adhere.[A] Of course, it is precisely these superfluous things that define human culture and ultimately what it is to be human. Downloading and consuming culture requires great skills, but failing to move beyond downloading is to strip oneself of a defining constituent of humanity.[B] Applications like , which allow users to combine pictures, words and other media in creative ways and then share them, have the potential to add stickiness by amusing, entertaining and enlightening others.[C] Not only did they develop such a device but by the turn of the millennium they had also managed to embed it in a worldwide system accessed by billions of people every day.[D] This is because the networked computer has sparked a secret war between downloading and uploading - between passive consumption and active creation - whose outcome will shape our collective future in ways we can only begin to imagine.[E] The challenge the computer mounts to television thus bears little similarity toone format being replaced by another in the manner of record players being replaced by CD players.[F] One reason for the persistence of this pyramid of production is that for the past half-century, much of the world's media culture has been defined by a single medium - television - and television is defined by downloading.[G]The networked computer offers the first chance in 50 years to reverse the flow, to encourage thoughtful downloading and, even more importantly, meaningful uploading.Part CDirections:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written clearly on ANSWER SHEET 2. (10 points)Since the days of Aristotle, a search for universal principles has characterized the scientific enterprise. In some ways, this quest for commonalities defines science. Newton’s laws of motion and Darwinian evolution each bind a host of different phenomena into a single explicatory frame work.(46)In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme, and seeks a theory of everything—a single generative equation for all we see.It is becoming less clear, however, that such a theory would be a simplification, given the dimensions and universes that it might entail, nonetheless, unification of sorts remains a major goal.This tendency in the natural sciences has long been evident in the social sciences too.(47)Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification for it all humans share common origins it seems reasonable to suppose that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings. Just as the bewildering variety of human courtship rituals might all be considered forms of sexual selection, perhaps the world’s languages, music, social and religious customs and even history are governed by universal features. (48)To filter out what is unique from what is shared might enable us to understand how complex cultural behavior arose and what guides it in evolutionary or cognitive terms.That, at least, is the hope. But a comparative study of linguistic traits published online today supplies a reality check. Russell Gray at the University of Auckland and his colleagues consider the evolution of grammars in the light of two previous attempts to find universality in language.The most famous of these efforts was initiated by Noam Chomsky, who suggested that humans are born with an innate language—acquisition capacity that dictates a universal grammar. A few generative rules are then sufficient to unfold the entire fundamental structure of a language, which is why children can learn it so quickly. (49)The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many languagewhich are considered to represent biases that result from cognitive constraintsGray and his colleagues have put them to the test by examining four family trees that between them represent more than 2,000 languages.(50)Chomsky’s grammar should show patterns of language change that are independent of the family tree or the pathway tracked through it. Whereas Greenbergian universality predicts strong co-dependencies between particular types of word-order relations. Neither of these patterns is borne out by the analysis, suggesting that the structures of the languages are lire age-specific and not governed by universals[NxtPage]2011年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Ancien t Greek philosopher Aristotle viewed laughter as “a bodily exercise precious to health.” But ­­­_1____some claims to the contrary, laughing probably has little influence on physical filness Laughter does _2____short-term changes in the function of the heart and its blood vessels, _3___ heart rate and oxygen consumption But because hard laughter is difficult to _4___, a good laugh is unlikely to have __5___ benefits the way, say, walking or jogging does.__6__, instead of straining muscles to build them, as exercise does, laughter apparently accomplishes the __7__, studies dating back to the 1930’s indicate that laughter. muscles,Such bodily reaction might conceivably help__8__the effects of psychological stress.Anyway,the act of laughing probably does produce other types of ____9__feedback,that improve an individual’s emotional state. __10____one classical theory of emotion,our feelings are partially rooted _____11__ physical reactions. It was argued at the end of the 19th century that humans do not cry ___12___they are sad but they become sad when te tears begin to flow.Although sadness also __13_____ tears,evidence suggests that emotions can flow __14___ muscular responses.In an experiment published in 1988,social psychologist Fritz.1.[A]among [B]except [C]despite [D]like2.[A]reflect [B]demand [C]indicate [D]produce3.[A]stabilizing [B]boosting [C]impairing [D]determining4.[A]transmit [B]sustain [C]evaluate [D]observe5.[A]measurable [B]manageable [C]affordable [D]renewable6.[A]In turn [B]In fact [C]In addition [D]In brief7.[A]opposite [B]impossible [C]average [D]expected8.[A]hardens [B]weakens [C]tightens [D]relaxes9.[A]aggravate [B]generate [C]moderate [D]enhance10.[A]physical [B]mentl [C]subconscious [D]internal11.[A]Except for [B]According to [C]Due to [D]As for12.[A]with [B]on [C]in [D]at13.[A]unless [B]until C]if [D]because14.[A]exhausts [B]follows [C]precedes [D]suppresses15.[A]into [B]from [C]towards [D]beyond16.[A]fetch [B]bite [C]pick [D]hold17.[A]disappointed [B]excited [C]joyful [D]indifferent18.[A]adapted [B]catered [C]turned [D]reacted19.[A]suggesting [B]requiring [C]mentioning [D]supposing20.[A]Eventually [B]Consequently [C]Similarly [D]ConverselySection II Reading ComprehensionPart ADirections:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing [A], [B], [C] or [D]. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Part BDirections:The following paragraph are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent text by choosing from the list A-G to filling them into the numbered boxes. Paragraphs E and G have been correctly placed. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)[A] No disciplines have seized on professionalism with as much enthusiasm as the humanities. You can, Mr Menand points out, became a lawyer in three years and a medical doctor in four. But the regular time it takes to get a doctoral degree in the humanities is nine years. Not surprisingly, up to half of all doctoral students in English drop out before getting their degrees.[B] His concern is mainly with the humanities: Literature, languages, philosophy and so on. These are disciplines that are going out of style: 22% of American college graduates now major in business compared with only 2% in history and 4% in English. However, many leading American universities want their undergraduates to have a grounding in the basic canon of ideas that every educated pe rson should posses. But most find it difficult to agree on what a “general education” should look like. At Harvard, Mr Menand notes, “the great books are read because they have been read”-they form a sort of social glue.[C] Equally unsurprisingly, only about half end up with professorships for which they entered graduate school. There are simply too few posts. This is partly because universities continue to produce ever more PhDs. But fewer students want to study humanities subjects: English departments aw arded more bachelor’s degrees in 1970-71 than they did 20 years later. Fewer students requires fewer teachers. So, at the end of a decade of theses-writing, many humanities students leave the profession to do something for which they have not been trained.[D] One reason why it is hard to design and teach such courses is that they cancut across the insistence by top American universities that liberal-arts educations and professional education should be kept separate, taught in different schools. Many students experience both varieties. Although more than half of Harvard undergraduates end up in law, medicine or business, future doctors and lawyers must study a non-specialist liberal-arts degree before embarking on a professional qualification.[E] Besides professionalizing the professions by this separation, top American universities have professionalised the professor. The growth in public money for academic research has speeded the process: federal research grants rose fourfold between 1960and 1990, but faculty teaching hours fell by half as research took its toll. Professionalism has turned the acquisition of a doctoral degree into a prerequisite for a successful academic career: as late as 1969a third of American professors did not possess one. But the key idea behind professionalisation, argues Mr Menand, is that “the knowledge and skills needed for a particular specialization are transmissible but not transferable.”So disciplines acquire a monopoly not just over the production of knowledge, but also over the production of the producers of knowledge.[F] The key to reforming higher education, concludes Mr Menand, is to alter the way in which “the producers of knowledge are produced.”Otherwise, academics will continue to think dangerously alike, increasingly detached from the societies which they study, investigate and criticize.”Academic inquiry, at least in some fields, may need to become less exclusionary and more holistic.”Yet quite how that happens, Mr Menand dose not say.[G] The subtle and intelligent little book The Marketplace of Ideas: Reform and Resistance in the American University should be read by every student thinking of applying to take a doctoral degree. They may then decide to go elsewhere. For something curious has been happening in American Universities, and Louis Menand, a professor of English at Harvard University, captured it skillfully.G → 41. → 42. →E → 43. → 44. →45.Part CDirections:Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written carefully on ANSWER SHEET 2.(10 points)With its theme that “Mind is the master weaver,” creating our inner character and outer circumstances, the book As a Man Thinking by James Allen is an in-depth exploration of the central idea of self-help writing.(46) Allen’s contribution was to take an assumption we all share-that because we are not robots we therefore control our thoughts-and reveal its erroneous nature. Because most of us believe that mind is separate from matter, we think that thoughts can be hidden and made powerless; this allows us to think one way and act another. However, Allen believed that the unconscious mind generates as much action as the conscious mind, and (47) while we may be able to sustain the illusion of control。

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